1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a brushing device for lubricating and cleaning guide and/or drive elements, especially for lubricating and cleaning chains, rails, or cables.
2. Description of the Related Art
Devices for automatic lubrication of chains have been known for many years. An automatic grease dispenser (operating, e.g., on the basis of an electrochemical reaction) via an outflow safety device supplies lubricant continuously to a brush which passes it on to the chain being lubricated. In European Patent EP 0 599 087, a delivery device is positioned between the brush and the lubricant dispenser that has borings to the feed line of the lubricant (e.g., oil). The problem is that oil follows the path of least resistance. The oil therefore moves preferentially directly downward in the delivery device so that it is not assured that the different side regions and more remote places will be supplied uniformly with the desired quantity of lubricant for the machine element to be lubricated.
In addition, European Patent EP 0 599 087 describes an oil-delivery device that has the problem that the device is suitable essentially in each case for only one type of lubricant. Since borings of the same diameter in the case of a thinner, more fluid lubricant cannot also be used for a thicker, less fluid lubricant, it is necessary, according to European Patent EP 0 599 087, to modify the design of the delivery device at high cost so as to adapt it to the type of lubricant in each case.